Freight forwarding is continuously growing and is a competitive industry. There are many companies that provide freight forwarding services, at Mac Logistics Liverpool, we come with years of experience and are highly skilled in the area. Trusting the shipment of your goods with a freight forwarding company isn’t something you should take lightly, with this in mind, it’s important that you find a company that you can trust. In order to help choose a business that is right for you, we have put a list together of some of the important questions that you need to ask.
Are you accredited?
Reputable and respected freight companies will be associated with a trade group, you should look out for the following memberships from bodies like the British International Freight Association (BIFA). BIFA members will trade nationally under an accepted set of Standard Trading Conditions which will be backed by the insurance sector. Mac Logistics Liverpool are members of the FSB – The Federation of Small Businesses and also an ISO 9001:2008 Registered Firm.
What freight and shipping services do you provide?
Not all shipments will need the same services, with this in mind it’s important that you find a company that offers the solutions that you need. Should you not know what type of freight service you need, you can speak to them and ask for advice. The majority of shipping companies and freight forwarders will be able to provide you with a run down of the services available, as well as what will best suit your needs.
What experience do you have?
When it comes to freight forwarding companies, they will have years of experience, this should separate them straight away. Maybe you are shipping niche cargo, if you are you should ask if the freight forwarder has experience of handling and transporting these types of goods. It may be that your shipment needs specialist transport or cargo holds.
What does the shipping process cover?
You will be trusting a freight forwarder with important goods, so with this in mind it’s important that you know how the process works, as well as how your items are going to be sent to their final destination. Friendly and professional freight teams can be on hand to answer any questions you may have, as well as provide a timely service. You should also ask for clear explanations and costs of logistics and their freight planning processes.
At Mac Logistics Liverpool we provide sea, road and air freight services from our base in the UK and across the seas. Our shipping services include container loading and unloading, distribution services, export packing, freight, warehousing and fulfilment centre services. We aim to provide the most cost effective and efficient shipping services for our customers and clients across the UK and worldwide.
Is my cargo insured?
When you choose a freight forwarder, you should always consider their insurance policies. It’s essential that you make sure that your goods are insured as they will be shipped across the globe to their intended location.
Will I need to handle all of the paperwork?
The paperwork that is involved with the international shipment of goods can be complex and confusing, with this in mind all importers are necessary to obtain an EORI number which will come from HMRC. This is needed to enable their goods to be cleared at customs on arrival in the UK. The team at Mac Logistics Liverpool will provide all of the necessary information regarding customers making their applications and ensuring a smooth customs clearance process.
What is the extent of your shipping network?
Professional and quality freight services will come with extensive and well established shipping networks, this means that it will be an efficient and smooth process when it comes to transporting your goods on a global scale. A large network also indicated a good working relationship with partners. You should also check that your destination port is part of the network, should there be any problems at your intended destination port, you will need to know that there is someone on hand who has local expertise and can assist to resolve the problem.
At Mac Logistics Liverpool, we offer a range of professional services that cover a complex network of international agents, we make sure that we provide successful exports and imports of shipping all over the world. What’s more is, we are also home to an experienced team and we can provide a range of free advice as well as provide tailored services, making sure that we match and meet every shipment. We are a team of freight forwarders based in the UK and we ensure that we deliver an efficient, timely, effective, professional and friendly service. For more information on our shipping and freight services. Get in touch with our team today.
